Why do you need yearly eye exams?
Perich Eye Centers
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Perich Eye Centers 〰️
Like the dentist, it is recommended and often well known that you should be getting a yearly exam. With our busy lives, its easy to forget to schedule or feel like nothing has changed in your vision so you probably don’t need to go- so you think! Yearly eye exams are essential for maintaining optimal eye health and potentially more importantly, detecting potential eye problems early. Early detection is always the key for the best possible prognosis no matter what the medical concern.
Here are several reasons why regular eye exams are important:
Vision Correction:
Even if you currently have good vision, it's important to have regular eye exams to identify any changes in your vision. Your eye care professional can determine if you need a new prescription for glasses or contact lenses to ensure clear and comfortable vision.
Prescriptions can change with time and for some can even improve year over year. At Perich Eye, we think of this as ‘normal’. Sometimes people think that any change in prescription is immediate cause for concern, when that is not necessarily true. Yes, any change in vision should alert you to have a check up to be sure that something more serious isn’t happening but that is not an automatic trigger for something other than your vision changing.
Early Detection of Eye Conditions:
Many eye conditions, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts, develop gradually and often show no noticeable symptoms in their early stages. Regular eye exams allow these conditions to be detected early, when treatment options are more effective in preserving vision and preventing further deterioration.
As we age our vision can weaken, just like everything else in our bodies! Yearly eye check up make sure we can monitor your eyes to keep the healthy. To protect your vision, we recommend that you have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Lifestyle changes can help make a difference in not just your overall health but in protecting your vision as well.
An eye exam involves a series of tests to evaluate your vision and check for eye diseases. Our optometrists use the latest technologies to measure the health of your vision. Each test during an eye exam evaluates a different aspect of your vision or eye health. If additional procedures are required, our in-house ophthalmologists will save you additional trips to other clinics.
Systemic Health Conditions:
The eyes can provide valuable insights into your overall health. During an eye exam, your eye care professional may identify signs or symptoms of systemic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, and certain types of cancer. Early detection and intervention for these conditions can lead to better health outcomes.
Eye Strain and Digital Eye Fatigue:
In today's digital age, many people spend significant time in front of screens, leading to symptoms like eye strain, dryness, and fatigue. Regular eye exams can help identify and address these issues. Your eye care professional may recommend specialized glasses, eye exercises, or lifestyle changes to alleviate digital eye strain symptoms.
Bringing your current glasses and/or contacts to your eye exam is always a good idea. Of course if you wear glasses daily, there’s a good chance you need them to see anyways! If you only wear them at times, you should still bring them with you so that we can make sure the prescription is correct and the glasses fit you well.
Contact Lens Evaluation:
If you wear contact lenses, annual eye exams are necessary to assess the fit, prescription accuracy, and overall health of your eyes. Your eye care professional can check for any signs of contact lens-related issues, such as dryness, irritation, or corneal changes.
If you wear contacts, it’s a good idea to wear them to the exam so we can see how those are fitting on your actually eye. Not all contacts are shaped the same or made from the same material, so getting a good fit ensures you can maintain the health of your eyes as well. We may need to do tests that your glasses would be more comfortable to leave wearing. You will likely need to take your contacts out for part of the exam, and as you know, sometimes those little buggers just don’t want to go in.
Children's Eye Health:
Regular eye exams are particularly crucial for children. Children may not be aware of vision problems or may not express them clearly. Eye exams help identify vision issues that can affect their learning, development, and overall well-being.
Prescription Medications:
Certain medications can have side effects or impact your vision. Regular eye exams ensure that your eye care professional can monitor any changes in your eye health due to medications you may be taking.
Here are some tips we recommend to help maintain healthy vision, brain, and life:
Refrain from smoking. If you are a current smoker, we recommend that you get the support you need to help you quit,
Eat a healthy diet full of greens, vegetables, fruits and fresh fish,
Avoid red meat and pork,
Exercise, do yoga, and meditate,
Maintain a healthy weight,
Develop good strategies to reduce and deal with stress,
Monitor your blood pressure.
Using your body and brain while keeping it nourished is the ideal way to live for longevity. Prevention is always the best although it may feel like you don’t need to at times. That healthy happy state should be motivation to keep going rather than get lax.
If you are ready to have your annual eye exam, feel free to contact us here, or see below for a list of our locations to find the most convenient to you. At Perich Eye Centers, we can give you a comfortable, confident experience to know that your eye sight is the best and healthiest it can be.
